Flour-packer



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN T. MELIOH, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

FLOUR-PACKERQ SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389,662, dated September 18, 1888.

Application filed April 18, 1888. Serial No. 271,045. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN T. MELIOH, of Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flour-Packers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in a device to be applied to the platform of a flourpacker to limit the travel of the said platform and to enable the accurate adjustment of the point at which the packers will be stopped in order to fill the bags or other receptacles to the required weight.

My invention consists, generally, in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the 1 claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this specifieation, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a flourpacker embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing more clearly the operation of the device. Fig. 3 is a detail showing a modification in the manner ofattaching the gage to the platform. Fig. 4 is a detail showing the sectional View of the gage. Figs. 5 and 6 are details showing modifications in the construction of the gage.

In the drawings, 2 represents the frame of the flour-packer, which is constructed in-any convenient manner. A spout, 3, preferably surrounds the packer-blades in the ordinary manner. A perpendicular shaft, 5, to which the packer-blades are attached, is preferably journaled in suitable bearings upon the frame and provided with a bevel-gear, 6. A bevelgear, 8, on a horizontal shaft, 10, meshes with the gear 6, and through this shaft and gear motion is imparted to the shaft 5 and to the packer'blades. The journal-bearing, which supports one end of the shaft 10, is preferably arranged to slide downward, to allow the gear 8 to be thrown out of mesh with the gear 6 in order to stop the revolution of the packershaft. The sliding motion of this bearing is controlled by the lever 12, fulcrumed upon the frame 2, one end of which is connected to the sliding journal-bearing, and the opposite end is preferably provided with an operatingrod, 14, which extends downward, and is provided with and secured by a suitable catch,

16, which engages a pin or projection, 18, upon.

the said frame.

20 represents a platform located below the spout 3, which is secured to suitable side bars, 2L, bearing upon the frame 2, and arranged to slide in suitable ways thereon. This platform supports the bag or other receptacle to be filled, and as the flour is forced into said receptacle by the packers the platform will be depressed. A gage, 22, is preferably secured to the platform. A case, 24, preferably made in halves, receives and forms a support for the device. A swinging arm or gage, 22, is pivoted to the upper portion of the case. The lower end of this arm is capable of being thrown outward, allowing it to stand at an angle, with the lower end projecting beyond the perpendicular. A screw-threaded rod, 28, is preferably attached to the arm, and passes through a correspondingly screw-threaded hand-wheel, 30, having a hub, 32, provided with a groove, 34. Suitable projections upon each half of the case fit into this groove and hold the hand-wheel in place and allow it to be turned. By turning the hand-wheel the arm 22 will be swung upon its pivot, and any desired angle may be obtained.

The end of the operating-rod 14 is preferably extended below the catch 16 and inclined inward toward the platform, so that a projection upon the platform striking this incline will throw the catch 16 out of contact with the pin 18, disconnect the gears, and stop the machine.

NVith my device the point at which the machine is stopped may be varied with relation to the position of the platform. Thus by throwing the arm outward, as shown in Fig. 2, the lower end will be brought in contact with the operating-rod, which will be tripped and the machine stopped with the platform in the position shown in full lines. If, however, the arm is drawn toward the platform by the operation of the hand-wheel, the upper portion of the said arm will come in contact with the rod,'the catch will be thrown off, and the machine thrown out of gear with the platform in the position denoted by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The machine may be stopped at any point be tween these extremes by giving less angularity to the arm and allowing the bevel portion to strike the rod and throw off the catch.

In the ordinary flour-packer the machine is thrown out of gear when the platform has ICO reached a certain point; but this point is not accurately adjustable, and a shortage or overweight is sure to occur, which has to be rectified by adding to or taking from the contents. \Vith my invention I avoid this inconvenience and make it possible to adjust the machine so that each barrel or bag w ill be filled to exactly the same weight.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown a modification in the manner of operating the arm or gage. In place of the screw and hand-wheel I employ the lever 40, which is fulcrumed at one side upon the frame 2 and passes through a slot in the arm. This slot is set diagonally with the plane of the lever, so that as the lever is thrown down the outer surface of the arm is brought to the perpendicular, and as the lever is thrown upward any desired angle may be obtained.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a screw-th readed rod, 42, attached to the frame. Upon this red the ease 2i is adjustably supported, and may be raised or lowered upon this rod in any convenient manner. This modification is for giving greater scope to the variations which may be obtained on one machine.

I do not confine myself to the particular construction of the machine, as my improvement is applicable to any machine of this class.

I claim as my invention 1. In a flour-packer, the combination, with a sliding platform, of a tripping mechanism connected with the driving-shaft for throwing said shaftoutofgear and stopping the machine,

and a laterally-adj ustable gage attached to said platform, provided with a beveled surface which is brought in contact with said tripping mechanism at any desired point upon the surface of said gage, in the manner and for the purpose substantially as described.

2. In a flour-packer, the combination, with a vertically-sliding platform, of a tripping device connected with the driving-shaft for throwing said shaft out of gear, a catch attached to said tripping device for holding the gear in working contact, and a gage pivotally secured to the platform and presenting a beveled surface for operating the said catch, substantially as described.

3. A gage secured to the platform of a flour packer, and consisting of an arm held at its upper end by a pivot and its lower end adjustable laterally upon the platform, its outer surface adapted to be held at any desired angle with said platform, and a tripping device for throwing the machine out of gear, adapted to be brought in contact with the said outer surface of the gage at any desired point, so that the machine may be automatically stopped when the platform has reached a predetermined point, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

R. II. SANFORD, A. M. GASKELL. 

